India On Its Way towards a Legal Tussle with Britain demanding the return of Koh-i-Noor Diamond

The KohiNoor diamond which is one of its kinds is believed to have been mined in India almost 800 years ago. This 105-carat stone was gifted to Queen Victoria during the British raj in India. The diamond now belonging to the Queen’s mother’s crown is on public display at the Tower of London.

There have been small agitations before this demanding Britain to return the diamond to India. However, this time it gets real. David de Souza who is the co-founder of the Indian leisure group Titos, is assisting to fund the new legal action and has instructed British lawyers to begin High Court proceedings. These proceedings have been pioneered by a lobby group consisting of Indian businessmen and actors who are starting a legal challenge against Queen Elizabeth II demanding the return of the world famous Koh-i-Noor diamond to India.

Here are some of the views of some eminent personalities which are involved in the lobby group and the supporters –

“The KohiNoor is one of the many artefacts taken from India under dubious circumstances. Colonisation did not only rob our people of wealth, it destroyed the country’s psyche itself. It brutalised society, traces of which linger on today in the form of mass poverty, lack of education and a host of other factors,” De Souza told ‘Sunday Telegraph’.

Bhumika Singh, a Bollywood actress backing the campaign, said: “KohiNoor is not just a 105-carat piece of stone. It has a lot of history and culture attached to it, and undoubtedly should be returned to India.”

There are speculations going on regarding the timing of the legal challenge as it coincides with PM Narendra Modi’s visit to UK this week. On this, Indian-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz, said: “What a wonderful moment it would be, if when PM Modi finishes his visit, he returns to India with the promise of the diamond’s return.”

We hope the KohiNoor diamond returns to the original owner and the legal tussle makes history come alive for India!

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